


get out of your head

by themetaphorgirl



Series: Dreams Are Only Blue [2]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Angst, Drama, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Spencer Reid Gets a Hug, Spencer Reid Needs a Hug, the Blakes are the best parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2020-09-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:21:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26605900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themetaphorgirl/pseuds/themetaphorgirl
Summary: Part of the Spencer Blake AU. Spencer comes down with the flu, and Alex worries.
Relationships: Alex Blake/James Blake
Series: Dreams Are Only Blue [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1935466
Comments: 10
Kudos: 163





	get out of your head

Alex rubbed her temples and sighed in exasperation. It didn’t matter which class she was teaching or what the assignment was, she always ended up with at least one paper to grade that was just completely abysmal.

She heard soft footsteps behind her and looked down at the clock on her desk. It was getting late, but still not quite Spencer’s bedtime yet. “Hi, dearest,” she said, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. “What are you up to?”

Spencer shuffled a little closer, hovering. She couldn’t quite see his face in the dim light; her desk lamp was enough for her work but not enough for the whole room. “I don’t…” he started to say, but he broke off midsentence.

She took off her glasses, setting them aside on her desk, and leaned back to turn on the lights. “Tell me what’s wrong, my darling,” she said, tugging him close and tucking her arm around his waist. “You’re not interrupting anything, don’t worry. I need a break, anyway.”

She expected him to tell her that he was hungry, or he needed some help with his homework, but to her shock he dropped his cheek against her shoulder. “Mama, my whole body hurts,” he whispered.

That set off a few alarms. She sat up and pulled him closer, pressing the back of her hand against his forehead. “You were fine when I picked you up from school today,” she said. “But you are pretty warm.” She brushed his hair back. “You’re just not feeling good?”

He shook his head. Alex pushed her chair back and stood up, keeping her hands on his shoulders. “Go lie down on the couch, okay? I’ll be right back,” she said.

She got the thermometer from the bathroom, and stopped long enough to get Spencer’s favorite blanket from his room. He’d been sick a few times since she and James had brought him home, but so far it had been little things- coughs and colds and stomachaches. This was new territory.

Spencer was curled up in the corner of the couch, his knees pulled up to his chest. Alex tapped his shoulder lightly. “Sit up for just a second,” she said. He obeyed, his eyes half-lidded, and she set the thermometer in his ear. It chirped, and she checked the readout. “Oh, you certainly do have a fever, don’t you?”

She set the thermometer on the end table and sat down beside him, pulling him onto her lap. “You got my blanket,” he said, his little voice thick and raspy.

“Of course I did,” she said, draping it around him. He hugged it tight, pressing it against his cheek and burying his nose in the soft fabric. “I’m going call Dad and see what he says, okay?”

He nodded. Alex took a moment to cuddle him close, leaning her cheek against the top of his head. He was shivering a little bit, and it worried her.

She dug her phone out of her pocket and pressed James’s number, and he picked up on third ring. “Hey, love,” he said, his voice warm. “I’m running a little behind at work, if you two want to start dinner without me-”

“Spencer’s sick,” she interrupted.

She heard a slight rustle in the background, as if he was quickly closing whatever he was working on. “That’s your agent voice,” he said. “Is it that serious?”

She looked down at Spencer half asleep against her shoulder, his lashes dark against his pale cheek. “He was fine when I picked him up from school, but he just came into my office and told me everything hurts,” she said. 

“You take his temperature?”

“A little over a hundred,” Alex said. “I checked just a minute ago. I swear, James, he was fine just a few hours ago.”

“Oh, that sounds like it’s probably the flu,” he said. “It tends to hit kids really hard really fast.”

Alex bit back a sigh and absently kissed the top of Spencer’s head; his soft hair smelled faintly like baby shampoo. “Is there anything I can do for him now right now?” she asked. 

“Other than sleep and staying hydrated, not much,” James said. “I’ll see if I can wrap up a little faster here and come home. And I’m off work tomorrow, I’ll stay home with him. Is he awake right now?”

Alex glanced down. “Are you awake?” she asked softly. Spencer nodded. “Do you want to talk to Dad?” He nodded again. Alex set the phone to speaker and held it closer to him. “Here he is, James.”

“Hey, kiddo,” James said. “Mama says you’re not feeling very good.”

“Yeah,” he croaked, sinking more heavily into Alex’s arms. “Everything hurts, Dad.”

“I know, I know,” he said. “Is your throat sore?”

“Uh-huh,” he said, quiet and miserable. 

“I’m going to leave work in just a little bit, okay?” James said. “Don’t worry. You’re going to be fine, it sounds like you just have the flu. Just rest, and if you start feeling worse, you tell Mama immediately, all right?”

“I will,” Spencer said. 

“Okay, good,” James said. “Hey, Alex? I’ll leave here as soon as I can. Don’t worry about anything else, just stay with him.”

“Yeah, absolutely,” she said. “Drive safe. I love you.”

“Love you both. Give him a hug from me.”

Alex set the phone aside and held Spencer a little closer, his cheek pressed against her collarbone. “Do you feel better knowing Dad will be home soon?” she asked. He nodded, his face half-hidden behind his blanket. She ran her fingers through his hair. “I’m going to get you some water, and we’ll just stay here and watch a movie till he gets here. How about that?”

“Yeah,” he rasped.

But she didn’t try to move. He gripped the front of her shirt, his small shoulders twitching with fever chills. The warmth of his fever bled into her skin, and the fight-or-flight triggered in her chest. 

_It’s just the flu_ , she told herself sternly. _Nothing serious. He’ll be fine_.

The intrusive thoughts crept in, locked-away memories threatening to betray her, and her arms tightened around Spencer until he made a tiny squeak of protest at her fierceness. She relaxed just a little, pressing her cheek to his, and she willed her breathing to settle. 

She wasn’t going to lose this child. She was being an idiot. Everything was fine.

* * *

James lingered in the doorway. The TV was still playing a movie, but neither Alex nor Spencer were paying attention to the screen. He slept in her arms, his head resting against her chest and his blanket tucked around him. Alex ran her hand slowly up and down his back, her cheek pressed to the top of his head.

After a moment he approached her quietly and kissed her temple. “Hey,” she said, rousing from her reverie. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

“I didn’t want to wake him,” James said. He sat down on the edge of the couch and touched Spencer’s forehead, then ran his hands lightly along his cheeks and the sides of his neck.

Alex leaned her chin on her hand. “What’s the diagnosis, doc?” she asked.

“Pretty sure it’s the flu,” he said. “It’s that time of year, it’s probably going through his school wildfire.” He rubbed his thumb along Spencer’s jaw. “Poor little kid.”

“What do we need to do?” Alex asked. “Should we take him to the emergency room?”

James grinned. “Darling, you have an emergency room doctor at your beck and call,” he teased. “One child with the flu is nothing for me.” She bit her lip, averting her eyes as she busied herself with adjusting the blanket that didn’t need to be fixed, and his smile faded. “Alex. He’ll be fine. We’ll keep him home from school for a few days, let him eat all the ice cream he wants for his sore throat, make sure he rests. If he’s worse in the morning, I’ll call in a few favors and get him taken care of.”

She didn’t look at him, and he squeezed her upper arm. “Alexandra, get out of your own head,” he whispered. “It’s not the same. I swear to god, it’s not the same.”

He knew what she was thinking. It used to be that something like the flu would be a crisis, a red alert situation, heralding another hospital stay and more tests and holding their breath until they knew they still had a little more time.

Alex swiped at her eyes with the heel of her palm. “I don’t want to let him out of my sight,” she said, half smiling ruefully as her breath caught in her throat. “Just in case.”

James leaned over her and kissed her gently. “Let me take him for just a little bit,” he said. “I picked up dinner, it’s on the kitchen counter. I’ll get some medicine in him and put him to bed.”

“I can do that,” Alex objected.

Spencer shifted a little bit, his nose scrunching up. “Hi, Dad,” he said, rubbing his eyes.

James’s heart melted. “Hi, buddy,” he said. “How bad are you feeling right now?”

“Real bad,” he whispered. “All my muscles hurt.”

Alex leaned her cheek against the top of his head. “Yeah, all your muscles hurt?” James said. “I’m sorry, kiddo. I bet that feels pretty awful.”

Spencer nodded, cuddling closer to Alex. “Do you still think it’s the flu?” he asked.

“I think so,” James said. “I brought some medicine home for you, let’s get some of that in you and get you to bed.”

“I can go to bed on my own,” Spencer said, his eyes half-lidded.

That was the biggest problem they kept coming back to. Spencer was always trying to do things on his own, without any help, even if he needed it. But if he chose to come to Alex, if he felt safe enough to fall asleep in her arms- maybe they were making more headway than they realized.

“Sure, you can go to bed on your own, buddy,” James said. He picked him up gently, making sure to keep the blanket with them- there was no way Spencer could possibly sleep without it. “Alex, go eat. I’ve got this.”

“James-”

He adjusted Spencer against his chest. “Don’t argue, Dr. Blake,” he said. “And don’t worry.”

It didn’t matter- she was going to worry anyway. But he could at least try.

* * *

Alex pulled her hair up in a ponytail. “You’re really sure he’s okay?” she said.

“I’m sure,” James said patiently. “He took his medicine, and he’s been asleep every time we’ve checked on him.” 

She sat crosslegged on her side of their bed, her book still closed in her hands. “Do you think I should stay home with him tomorrow too?” she asked.

James kissed the top of her head. “Go to work,” he said. “I can handle him while you’re off saving the world.”

“If I’m-” she started to say, but she paused.

“What’s wrong?” James asked.

“I think Spencer’s crying,” Alex said, setting her book aside.

“I’ll get him, don’t worry,” James said, and he was already down the hall before she could do or say anything. She pressed her fingertips to her temples and stared blankly down at the floor. 

James returned in a few minutes with Spencer in his arms. “Here, go cuddle with your mama, I think that’s going to help both of you,” he said. 

Alex gathered him up on her lap, kissing his warm cheek as he huddled against her, his shoulders hitching in faded little half sobs. “Don’t cry, dearest,” she consoled. “You feel terrible, don’t you?” 

“I don’t want to be sick,” he said, his voice wobbling

She ran her hand up and down his spine. “Would it help if you slept with us tonight?” she asked. 

He hesitated, and she could see the conflict written all over his face. They’d talked about this before during family therapy sessions- about how he was used to fending for himself, about how the lack of stability in his young life left him unsteady and adrift, always waiting for the other shoe to drop. 

She cradled his fever-warm little body against her and kissed his temple. “Get out of your own head, baby,” she whispered. “Take a deep breath. It’s okay. Everything’s okay.”

After a moment she felt him begin to relax, nestling into her. “I want to sleep with you and Dad,” he said.

“I think that’s a good idea,” James said. “That might help you sleep better.” He grinned, running his hand over Spencer’s hair. “Even if you kick.”

“I don’t kick,” he protested sleepily. 

He drifted back to sleep quickly, settling down between them with the covers pulled up around his shoulders. Before long he rolled over onto his stomach, his arms curled into his chest and his head resting on the pillow beside her, and Alex kept her hand on his back. She could feel him breathing, deep and slow and steady, and that was the reassurance she needed. James slept on Spencer’s other side, cuddling him between them, his breath catching on the verge of snores. Eventually she dozed off, reassured by Spencer’s warm little body curled up beside her, and hoping that he could sleep soundly knowing she and James were beside him.

**Author's Note:**

> I originally posted this to tumblr, but I'm trying to slowly add drabbles and things over to AO3!! Clearly I'm not at this part yet in the main Spencer Blake fic, but oh boy. The Blakes are great parents. and Spencer needs them. But also...the trauma of Alex taking care of a sick child while still thinking about Ethan's traumatic illness? my heart hurts.
> 
> I may end up coming back and writing a followup to this, we'll see!


End file.
